Unless rookie Darko Milicic makes the Pistons' offense as scary as its defense or Kenyon Martin adds two inches and 40 pounds, there's little hope the 2004 NBA Finals will be any more compelling than the last one. But if free agency goes just right, it won't matter because the Western Conference finals -- and the titanic battles to get there -- will make up for it.

	Shaquille O'Neal, left, and Tim Duncan won't be the only future Hall of Famers on the floor for Lakers-Spurs games.

I'm not sure what has possessed Karl Malone to hitch his wagon to Gary Payton or Alonzo Mourning to let it be known he'd like to roll with Jason Kidd next season. Maybe it was the galling sight of the coltish Spurs, most in their first year together, careening their way to rings previously earned only after years of collective trial and tribulation. Or maybe it was seeing San Antonio come out on top largely because they avoided the injury bug that befell the Lakers, Kings, Mavericks and, if Kidd's black-and-blue ankle is included, the Nets. Or maybe it's the recent spate of movies -- "X-Men," "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" -- about action heroes combining their unusual powers that has inspired this spate of superstars joining forces.

Whatever the reason, the forces being potentially marshalled out west could make for a season-long series of bouts between Hall of Fame lineups that haven't been seen since the Celtics and Lakers went at it in the '80s. If Karl follows GP to the Lakers and Zo joins Kidd in San Antonio, the NBA's one-on-one promos ("Tim Duncan and the Spurs vs. Jason Kidd's Nets") would be woefully inappropriate. Imagine, for a moment, Kobe, Shaq, Payton and Malone marching into San Antonio to open against Duncan, Kidd, Ginobili and Zo. Or picture those two lineups going at it seven times in late May.

It actually feels as if the entire West has been hydraulically lifted a notch, creating an even greater gap between the conferences. The Rockets should be significantly better now that Yao Ming has a year under his belt and they have defensive-oriented coach Jeff Van Gundy at the helm, and the Timberwolves are on track to open the season with a starting lineup of Sam Cassell, Wally Szczerbiak, Kevin Garnett, Juwan Howard and Rasho Nesterovic.

There remains a chance Kidd and Zo hook up in Dallas, though the sign-and-trade deal to give Jason the max and satisfy salary-cap stipulations -- I won't bore you with the details -- would require around $27 million worth of contracts to change hands. That means, for example, Kidd and Dikembe Mutombo head to Dallas and the Mavs have to send Steve Nash, Raef LaFrentz, Tariq Abdul-Wahad and two other players of the Eduardo Najera or Avery Johnson pay-level to New Jersey. But let's say the Nets are willing to swallow all those poison-pill contracts -- LaFrentz making $9 million or more through the 2007-08 season and Tariq owed more than $6 million for the next three seasons -- rather than come up empty. Unless you're Mark Cuban or one of his disciples, Dirk, Kidd, Fin and Zo still can't goose you quite the way Duncan, Kidd, Zo and Ginobili (or Parker) does.

Dallas, of course, didn't think of itself as a legit title contender until Chris Webber blew out his knee, so if they enter next season without a bigger prize than Josh Howard, no big deal. The team that has to be muttering to itself is the Kings, who are looking at the prospect of having had their window at a title summarily slammed before so much as a curtain-stirring breeze came through it.

But no need to buzz-kill by future-tripping too much. It's enough that last season already seems far, far behind us and, if all goes well, next season can't get here soon enough.

	I don't know if this is a witchhunt, a money grab or the toppling of a role model beyond reproach, though I have my suspicions. I do know that for authorities to suggest Bryant's celebrity isn't a factor in how it has been handled so far is a joke.

And Ones
Orlando may not be a big player on the free-agent market, but kudos to Magic GM John Gabriel for making the most of what he has. Gabriel contacted agent Bill Duffy one minute into the signing period about Speedy Claxton, putting the Magic at the top of the list of 12 teams interested in the Spurs' point guard. ... The last two candidates for the Blazers' GM vacancy are Pistons VP John Hammond and former Nets GM John Nash. Celtics GM Chris Wallace, his power usurped with the hiring of Danny Ainge, pulled out of the running in Portland because the job's authority has been diminished since Steve Patterson was named Blazers president. The Blazers also went after Nets scouting director Eddie Stefanski, who re-upped in New Jersey. ... Two questions for Mark Hurlbert, the Eagle County (Colo.) District Attorney investigating Kobe Bryant for the sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman. Hurlbert says he is proceeding as he would with any other citizen facing the same potential charges. Questions: Do you hold a nationally-televised press conference with every investigation, and does your sheriff routinely circumvent you to obtain an arrest warrant? Unless the answer is yes to both questions, there's nothing normal about the way this investigation is, or has, proceeded. I don't know if this is a witchhunt, a money grab or the toppling of a role model beyond reproach, though I have my suspicions. I do know that for authorities to suggest Bryant's celebrity isn't a factor in how it has been handled so far is a joke.

Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ric.bucher@espnmag.com. Also, send a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.